The soldier died on 15th September 2017 after the attack of a Romanian patrol carrying out a mission in Kandahar region, Afghanistan.
At the proposal of the minister of national defence, the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, decorated 2nd Lieutenant Mădălin Stoica posthumously with National Order "Steaua României" (the Star of Romania) of Knight's rank, with military insignia, as a token of appreciation and gratitude for his devotion and sacrifice shown while in mission in the Theater of Operations in Afghanistan.